1. Hairy Chinch Bug Biology and Parasitoids in Ohio
Mrs. Jennifer Andon
Department of Entomology
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH

2. Objectives
Survey and document the annual populations of hairy chinch bugs and their egg parasitoid in Ohio lawn-type turf.
Determine if HCB populations obtained from lawns being maintained at different levels of management vary in susceptibility to Beauveria bassiana infection.
Why?
Recent observations of hairy chinch bug populations appears to conflict with earlier studies.
We have found HCB in irrigated lawns which were thought to be at low risk for infestation.

3. Blissus leucopterus hirtus Montandon
The Culprit
Blissus leucopterus hirtus Montandon
Family: Blissidae
Formerly: Lygaeidae

4. Population Sampling Methods
Standard golf course cup cutter
U.S.A. standard sieve series
Berlese funnel

5. EVALUATION OF BEAUVERIA SUSCEPTIBILITY
Reared HCB colonies obtained from irrigated and non- irrigated lawns on sorghum in the greenhouse.
Butyrate and Plexiglas cylinders
Pro-mix
Peat Moss
16 hrs day light
75° F day temp
70° F night temp

6. Biology of Hairy Chinch Bug in Ohio
2004 & 2005 Data
Two generations per year
Adults overwintered in lawns
Oviposition began in early May
1st generation nymphs peaked in mid-June
1st generation adults began egg lay by mid-July
2nd generation adults observed in early September
Reproductive diapause commenced in October, chinch bugs descend into thatch and debris

7. Hairy Chinch Bug Populations in Ohio
Ex: Niemczyk & Shetlar 2000

10. Pathogens, Parasites, Predators
Biological
Pathogens, Parasites, Predators
Conserve Parasitoids and Predators – Homeowner agreed not to use insecticides during study.

11. Eumicrosoma beneficum
Scelionidae
Eumicrosoma beneficum

12. Scelionid Egg Parasitoid
Scelionid adult
inside HCB egg
Parasitized and
normal egg

13. Bigeyed Bugs Geocoridae
Other Natural Enemies
Bigeyed Bugs Geocoridae
Predators

14. Hairy Chinch Bug cadaver with
Beauveria bassiana
Hairy Chinch Bug cadaver with
B. bassiana.

15. Beauveria bassiana Deuteromycetes “White Muscardine”
Ubiquitous, soil-borne fungus
Requires moist, warm conditions to sporulate
Hyphae penetrate insect cuticle
Toxin (beauvericin) relaeased to kill insect
Mycelium proliferates inside insect
Insect dies in 3-4 days

16. Except Beauveria bassiana Study
High maintenance lawns, i.e., regular fertilization and irrigation, have been observed with HCB infestations
Therefore, have populations of HCB become less susceptible to Beauveria infection?
I will evaluate Botanigard ES, a commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana and determine if varying susceptibility to B.b. has developed.

17. Beauveria, and other microbes from infected cadaver
Isolated culture of Beauveria bassiana

18. Dilution Series

19. Botanigard™ ES Enumeration
16 billion CFUs per ml of
Botanigard ES

20. What’s Next…
Challenge different HCB populations (recovered from different lawns) with fungal spores.
Repeat another field season of monitoring chinch bug populations.

21. Acknowledgements – Thanks
OSU/OARDC
OTF
Bayer, FMC, The Scotts Co.
Mark Grunkemeyer, Buckeye Ecocare
Scott Jones, One Call
Gary Chatriand, Laverlam Int’l
Columbus Area Master Gardeners
Dr. Dave Shetlar, Dan Digman
Dr. Mike Boehm, Amy Niver